How to Manage your Literacy Centers

In a perfect world, during our center rotations, our students would be on task and working independently. Can this perfect world happen? The answer is YES! But, it takes a lot of training (your students) and skills to manage your literacy centers!

I know at the beginning of the school year I am so excited to get started working with my guided reading groups! You know the moment when you set up centers and say to yourself: "They can handle this, I'm ready to start." But then you get started, and they act as if they know nothing! Have you had this happen? I definitely have!

In the past few years, I've made sure to spend about 6 weeks of "training" my students.

Center Management Tips

1. Training- I cannot say this enough.  Practice and practice some more!  Make sure students know what to do and why they are doing it.  
2. Rotation Board- I use my Digital Rotation Board to keep me on track!  There are 32 different options and I even have timers set up for it.  I also have some FREE rotation cards HERE.

3.  Ask 3 Before Me- we discuss the ask 3 before me rule.  If a student is not sure what they are supposed to be doing during centers, I encourage them to ask a classmate first.  Check out some of these Pinterest ideas.

4.  Yes/ No Light- where had this been all my life??? I just love my YES/NO lights.  I keep them out on my desk so students know if it is ok to ask me a question or not.  This is an affiliate link.

I hope some of these management tips come in handy and make your life so much easier!